This bill would require that candidates be permitted to rescind their written certification of participation in the matching funds program until the ninth Monday preceding a primary election or the fourteenth day after the proclamation of a special election, provided they have not already received public funds.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York,in relation to the deadline for rescinding the written certification of participation in the matching funds program

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 3-703 of the administrative code of the city of New York, subparagraph (i) as amended by local law number 67 for the year 2007, subparagraph (ii) as amended by local law number 12 for the year 2003, are amended to read as follows:

(i) the tenth day of June in the year of the covered election, or such other later date as the board shall provide, provided, however, that any candidate who files such written certification prior to such date shall be permitted to rescind such certification in writing on or before [such date] the ninth Monday preceding the primary election or prior to the receipt of public funds, whichever occurs first;

(ii) the thirtieth day after a special election is held to fill a vacancy for the office sought by the candidate; whichever is later. The deadline for filing such certification for a special election to fill a vacancy shall be on the [seventh] fourteenth day after the proclamation of such special election. A certification may be filed on or before the seventh day after the occurrence of an extraordinary circumstance in an election, as declared by the campaign finance board, following the receipt and review of a petition submitted by a candidate in such election. For purposes of this paragraph, an “extraordinary circumstance” shall include the death of a candidate in the election, the resignation or removal of the person holding the office sought, and the submission to the board of a written declaration by an officeholder that terminates his or her campaign for reelection;